Emmy Award

Television Academy

The 41st Primetime Emmy Awards

September 17, 1989  •  Pasadena Civic Auditorium  •  Hosted by Johnny Carson

2
L.A. Law drama wins
1
Murphy Brown debut win
Murphy Brown won Outstanding Comedy Series in its debut season — Candice Bergen era begins
L.A. Law won Outstanding Drama Series for its third season
Dana Delany won Lead Actress Drama for China Beach
Drama
Outstanding Drama Series
Winner
L.A. Law
NBC — Season 3, third win
thirtysomething
China Beach
Wiseguy
Murder She Wrote
Lead Actor — Drama
Winner
Carroll O'Connor
In the Heat of the Night — NBC — as Chief Bill Gillespie
Ken Olin — thirtysomething
Timothy Busfield — thirtysomething
Michael Tucker — L.A. Law
Dennis Franz — NYPD Blue
Lead Actress — Drama
Winner
Dana Delany
China Beach — ABC — as Nurse Colleen McMurphy (1st of two wins)
Angela Lansbury — Murder She Wrote
Sharon Gless — Cagney & Lacey
Mel Harris — thirtysomething
Jill Eikenberry — L.A. Law
Supporting Actor — Drama
Winner
Larry Drake
L.A. Law — Benny Stulwicz (2nd consecutive win)
Supporting Actress — Drama
Winner
Melanie Mayron
thirtysomething — as Melissa Steadman
Comedy
Outstanding Comedy Series
Winner
Murphy Brown
CBS — Season 1, debut season win, first of five
The Wonder Years
Cheers
Roseanne
The Golden Girls
Lead Actor — Comedy
Winner
Ted Danson
Cheers — as Sam Malone (1st of two wins)
Michael J. Fox — Family Ties
John Goodman — Roseanne
Bob Newhart — Newhart
Kelsey Grammer — Cheers
Lead Actress — Comedy
Winner
Candice Bergen
Murphy Brown — as Murphy Brown (1st of five wins)
Betty White — The Golden Girls
Bea Arthur — The Golden Girls
Kirstie Alley — Cheers
Roseanne Barr — Roseanne
Supporting Actor — Comedy
Winner
Woody Harrelson
Cheers — as Woody Boyd
Supporting Actress — Comedy
Winner
Rhea Perlman
Cheers — Carla Tortelli (return win)
Limited Series & Movie
Outstanding Miniseries
Winner
War and Remembrance
ABC — epic WWII continuation of The Winds of War
Lonesome Dove
Jack the Ripper
A Dangerous Life
Lead Actor — Limited/Movie
Winner
James Woods
My Name is Bill W. — ABC — as Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous
Lead Actress — Limited/Movie
Winner
Holly Hunter
Roe vs. Wade — NBC — as Norma McCorvey